LATROBE, PA – Saint Vincent College is providing a wide range of opportunities for Ema Zeglin, including the chance to hone her leadership skills after recently being elected freshman class president.
The seeds for Zeglin’s affinity with student government were planted at Ligonier Valley High School where she served as class president as a sophomore and junior. Reflecting on the importance of serving others, Zeglin saw opportunities for growth and lending a listening ear to her LVHS classmates.
She was appointed class president as a sophomore after submitting a letter of interest, then as a junior was elected by the class committee. Zeglin was instrumental in bringing back an LVHS winter formal, an event that lied dormant for years. As a junior, she took the reins in planning the junior prom.
“There’s a ton of work that went into fundraising to make sure both events happened,” Zeglin said, “so I really understand what it’s like to work with people, get things done and make it happen.” Based on her experience in student government in high school, Zeglin called her election as SVC freshman class president “a natural continuance.”
So, too, is Zeglin’s inclination to pursue more educational opportunities and scholarships. At the end of her freshman year at LVHS, Zeglin decided she would aim for an associate degree while still in high school. She earned that degree on May 9, then turned her attention to postsecondary education plans, committing to Saint Vincent College three days later. Zeglin graduated from high school in June.
During the college application process, staff encouraged the incoming freshman to pursue SVC Honors. Now, in addition to seeking Bachelor of Science degrees in business administration and political science and being in the Legal Practice Certificate program, Zeglin is also working toward earning a Benedictine Leadership Studies Certificate and declared a theology minor.
“I think it was a natural choice for me as a cradle Catholic and working in many leadership roles to choose Benedictine Leadership Studies,” Zeglin said. “I was already kind of familiar with the [Benedictine] Hallmarks, but ever since then I’ve really realized it is the meat and potatoes of Saint Vincent.
“To be at Saint Vincent, it’s natural to lean into the Benedictine Hallmarks, and then to be in the honors classes, it’s the greatest gift that I could add to my education. I’m really honored to be a part of that.”
As Zeglin’s life is rooted in several Benedictine principles, it’s no surprise that community is a profound part of her character. Through different school-sponsored organizations at LVHS, Zeglin was afforded a wide range of volunteer opportunities. By the time she graduated from high school, she had hundreds of hours of community service to her credit in various initiatives, serving the common good with her time and talents.
While still in high school, Zeglin’s professional aspirations included a career as a business lawyer. As she’s been exposed to more opportunities at Saint Vincent, her goals have shifted.
“I like business, I think it’s a great skillset to have in running a farm, running a household, potentially running my own law firm—far, far, far down the line,” Zeglin said. “I appreciate the business administration aspect, and I'm going to continue to finish that degree.”
Her ideal career is in the criminal justice system, possibly working as a state or federal prosecutor. “That would be the big-picture goal, ultimately,” Zeglin said, noting that she previously had an internship where she was able to observe court proceedings inside the Westmoreland County Courthouse.
“I watched a lot of great prosecutors, a lot of great defense attorneys, some civil cases and family courts,” she said. “It gave me a good sampling of the different types of lawyers, and I think I like the criminal aspect and will head to that direction.”
Through conversation during a reception last year at Saint Vincent College, staff members got Zeglin in touch with Dr. Bruce Antkowiak, C’74, a professor of law and director of the pre-law program within the Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics and Government. He sent Zeglin a long email with an offer to meet.
“I met him about a year ago, and we just talked for hours about everything—Saint Vincent, law school, what my future would look like,” Zeglin said. “It was just such an eye opener, and I've met with him since then, and I really do have an appreciation for his insights and the advice he has to offer. I think he's a great asset here.”
The former federal prosecutor characterized the standout freshman as a bright and capable leader who has chosen to direct her talents in a way to serve the people who need them the most.
“Ema epitomizes the kind of student who keeps the true Saint Vincent tradition alive,” Antkowiak said. “This reflects her loyalty to a principle that transcends material benefits. It gives evidence of her appreciation of the value of all people and the need for all of us to treat and serve others as children of God.”
Over midway through her first semester at Saint Vincent, Zeglin is taking a wide variety of classes, including Organizational Behavior, Managerial Accounting, Basics of Catholic Faith and Calculus. Her favorite class thus far, however, is the Listening Seminar with Dr. Catherine Petrany.
“She’s awesome,” Zeglin said. “It’s taught me so much. It goes through the Catholic Benedictine liberal arts traditions of the school. I don’t want it to end. I don’t want to stop learning about all the things that make it Saint Vincent.”
It’s just one of many reasons why the standout freshman student feels right at home within the walls of Saint Vincent’s academic halls.
“I told my parents that Saint Vincent was the best choice that I've made solely on my own for my own benefit,” Zeglin said. “As a young adult, there aren’t many things that I've chosen. This was the best choice for me … this is truly God's plan for me—to come to this school.”
